Leafly Places Nation’s First Consumer Cannabis Advertisement in The New York Times

A cannabis company running an ad in The New York Times would be unimaginable just two or three years ago, but as Bob Dylan so aptly put it, the times they are a-changin'. On the heels of the publication's groundbreaking six-part series calling for the end of federal cannabis prohibition, we at Leafly are proud to announce that we have become the first cannabis company to place a full-page advertisement in The New York Times.

23 states have legalized cannabis for medical purposes and two have legalized for recreational use, and the majority of Americans now support legalization. New York recently became the latest state to legalize medical cannabis when Governor Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act into law on July 7. Patients suffering from cancer, AIDS, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions will be able to access medical cannabis to help treat their diseases and symptoms.

Our ad features the tagline "Just Say Know." We want to help New York patients learn about cannabis and make responsible and informed consumer choices about the product best suited for their medical conditions. Patients need a reliable, mainstream information portal about cannabis that is free of classic stoner stereotypes, and we truly believe that Leafly is the resource for them.

This advertisement has been in the works for over 18 months in anticipation of the Compassionate Care Act, and as Governor Cuomo signed the bill, our decision to place the ad coincided with The New York Times' editorial board's call to “Repeal Prohibition, Again”.

Our CEO, Brendan Kennedy, reiterated our commitment to helping New York medical cannabis patients find the information they need to become informed and educated patients under the new act, saying, “We’re in full support of New York’s Compassionate Care Act. As the walls of prohibition crumble, patients need the type of reliable, mainstream information about cannabis that only Leafly provides. Eight out of ten Americans agree that medical cannabis should be legal for patients. Leafly is here for those patients.”

As eager patients wait for New York's medical cannabis program to take effect, we created a portal designed to familiarize not only New Yorkers, but the rest of the world, with what the Compassionate Care Act entails, which conditions it covers, our strain recommendations for those conditions, and other educational resources for those who are new to medical cannabis. We invite you to check out our New York medical cannabis page to learn more.

We're so thrilled for the state of New York and are eager to support other states that follow suit in the coming months. This is only the beginning, folks -- we're confident that in due time, we'll all bear witness as the pillars of prohibition come crashing down.